Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe:April 2008 Newsletter

We have some exciting new products to tell you about this month, so let's just jump right in, shall we? For a full list of New Products, click here. And as always, we are offering a 10% discount for newsletter subscribers only (see right sidebar).

First, the vegan cheese boat is coming to drop off the motherload. We are excited to announce the arrival of the new cheese on the block: Teese! Teese was created by the fine folks at Chicago Soydairy, the same guys who make the delicious Temptation Vegan Ice Cream. We are expecting our first delivery of Teese to arrive in the next few days, but you can pre-order yours via our website now. Not only does Teese melt wonderfully, but it actually tastes like authentic mozzarella. Teese is a must-try for all of your melty cheese needs.To pre-order Teese, please click here.

Speaking of vegan cheese, we also now offer the vegan pride of the UK, Cheezly. We have two flavors to choose from: Mature White Cheddar and Super Melting Mozzarella. This stuff is really tasty, both hot and cold. Slice yourself up some of the Mature White Cheddar and serve on crackers. It will make you feel mature, even if you aren't! For more info on Cheezly, please click here.
More cheese news! Everyone's favorite Nacho Cheese Dip from Road’s End is finally back in stock, and is now in a big 16 oz. Size.

Believe it or not, other things have been happening here at Cosmo's besides fancy vegan cheeses. We have another new tee shirt to share with you, designed especially for us by our friend and vegan artist Elise Hartmann of Dark Faerie Creations. This adorable little lamb design is currently available on a women's cut American Apparel shirt in black. Isn't it cute? For more info on our vegan lamb shirt, please click here.

Oh, did you see the new Cosmo's logo Grocery Totes? They're big, roomy, and made of recycled cotton and soda bottles. We like them a lot!

Jeanette Zeis of Vegan Dish dropped off a stellar selection of her vegan-themed pottery, including this gorgeous serving platter. See all of Cosmo's offerings by Vegan Dish here.

There are plenty more new products this month, too. See them all here.

Thank you all for another great month. Do you love us? Hate us? Wish we would carry your favorite something-or-other? Send us feedback! We would love to hear from you.

Where do you get your Iron?

Let's see a show of hands: how many of you vegans have had to answer to your mom, your friends, or even your doctor about your iron intake? We hear it quite often, too. Many people assume that acquiring adequate iron on a vegan diet is somehow more difficult than on a non-vegan diet. With the help of this informative article from The Vegetarian Resource Group, hopefully you will feel better about your iron stores, and learn of some iron-rich foods to add to your diet.

Despite the fact that vegan diets only contain non-heme iron, rather than the more absorbable heme iron found in meats, it is still possible (and quite easy) to get all of the iron your body needs. In fact, iron deficiency anemia is no more common among vegetarians than among the general population. Vitamin C helps aid the absorption of non-heme iron, so consuming foods high in vitamin C along with iron rich plant foods is a great option. Another fact to consider when comparing heme and non-heme iron sources is that the iron content of foods is determined by milligrams of iron per 100 calories. This means you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of spinach!
However, both calcium and tannins (found in tea and coffee) reduce iron absorption. Tea, coffee, and calcium supplements should be used several hours before a meal that is high in iron.

The following are some examples of vegan foods and their iron content:

Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 8.8mg
Blackstrap molasses 2 Tbsp 7.2mg
Lentils, cooked 1 cup 6.6mg
Spinach, cooked 1 cup 6.4mg
Quinoa, cooked 1 cup 6.3mg
Tofu 4 ounces 6.0mg
Tempeh 1 cup 4.8mg
Swiss chard, cooked 1 cup 4.0mg
Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 1.1mg
Tomato juice 8 ounces 1.0mg
Almonds 1/4 cup 1.5mg

This content was taken from an article from The Vegetarian Resource Group. Please refer to this article for more information.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm

John's Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This recipe is perfect for spring picnics and potlucks. It's adapted from a dish Leigh's dad used to always make during the warm weather months. Enjoy!!

serves 4

1 large head of broccoli
1 large head of cauliflower
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds or cashew pieces
1/3 cup Vegenaise
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp plain soy milk
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite sized florets and wash thoroughly. In a medium sauce pan with a lid, gently steam the florets in a small amount of water over medium heat until the broccoli is bright green.
Drain the florets, and run cold water over them to cool. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the Vegenaise, soy milk, and lemon juice. Add the garlic and parsley, and stir to combine. In a large bowl, toss together the florets with the dressing, coating every piece. Don't be too rough with the florets, or they may break apart. Use your hands if you need to! Gently stir in the onions, and top with slivered almonds or cashew pieces. Chill the salad for a few hours before serving.